When the Montreal Canadiens drafted L.J. Mooney at the 2025 NHL draft, very few fans knew his name, but he has forced them all to take notice since then. In his rookie season with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, the 18-year-old has caught the eye of head coach Bob Motzko, who will also serve as Team USA’s head coach for the upcoming World Junior Championships in Minnesota.
Speaking exclusively to Research Ground for an article, Motzko gave his take on the Canadiens prospect to Marco D’Amico, and to say that it was positive would be an understatement. For the bench boss, watching and coaching the Habs’ prospect is a joy, not only because of how talented he is, but because of the intensity he brings not only to games, but to every shift and every practice.
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That won’t come as a surprise to those who attended the Canadiens’ development camp last July, as he skated in every drill as if his future depended on it. That combination of compete level and skill is a rare blend, and one that could set him up for the NHL.
In 19 games in the NCAA, Mooney has racked up 15 points, making him the third-highest scorer on his team behind Brodie Ziemer and Brody Lamb and the most productive rookie. It’s not just his points production that makes him valuable, though; he has also become one of Motzko’s top options on the penalty kill.
Even though the defending champions will have plenty of returning players, the coach sees Mooney as the type of player who can start in one role but move on to bigger things if needed. That’s the kind of depth you need on a championship team. The coach even went so far as to say he would have no trouble using him at center if needed.
It’s still early to anoint Mooney a lock to turn pro one day, but he’s certainly putting in the work to check in all the boxes, and he’s doing it in good company, not only at college, but in his personal life as well.
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